Subsea Hydrocarbon Extraction System

ABSTRACT

A system including a hydrocarbon extraction system (10), including a well boring apparatus (12) configured to drill through a subterranean formation without rotating a drill string, and a seabed support system (14) configured to support drilling operations of the well boring apparatus.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/216,872, filed Sep. 10, 2015, entitled “SUBSEAHYDROCARBON EXTRACTION SYSTEM,” which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to hydrocarbon extractionsystems.

BACKGROUND

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects ofart that may be related to various aspects of the present invention,which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed tobe helpful in providing the reader with background information tofacilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the presentinvention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statementsare to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

Drilling offshore wells traditionally uses surface equipment for theexploitation of subsea petroleum and natural gas deposits. In deep waterapplications, surface equipment can include floating platforms orvessels (e.g., drill ships).

The surface equipment typically supports risers that extend from one ormore wellheads or structures on the seabed to the equipment at the seasurface. The risers connect the subsea well with the surface equipmentto protect the fluid integrity of the well and to provide a fluidconduit to and from the wellbore. The risers connecting the surfacesystems to the subsea wellhead can be thousands of feet long andextremely heavy.

Drilling operations including surface equipment are generally associatedwith substantial operating costs. In addition, the offshore environmentcan be difficult for personnel working on the surface equipment or belowthe surface. Weather often impacts operations and requires that workstop until conditions improve, resulting in time delays and additionalcosts. The time required to recover defective equipment from the well tothe rig and then returned to the well can amount to days. In view ofthese issues, an alternative approach to deepwater subsea drilling wouldbe beneficial.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention willbecome better understood when the following detailed description is readwith reference to the accompanying figures in which like charactersrepresent like parts throughout the figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a subsea hydrocarbonextraction system;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a subsea hydrocarbonextraction system;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a subsea hydrocarbonextraction system; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a subsea hydrocarbonextraction system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

One or more specific embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed below. These described embodiments are only exemplary of thepresent invention. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concisedescription of these exemplary embodiments, all features of an actualimplementation may not be described in the specification. It should beappreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation,as in any engineering or design project, numerousimplementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve thedevelopers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related andbusiness-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation toanother. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a developmenteffort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be aroutine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those ofordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

The disclosed embodiments include a subsea hydrocarbon extraction systemwith a well boring apparatus and a seabed support system. As will beexplained in detail below, the seabed support system supports drillingoperations, hydrocarbon production, and well shutdown operations fromthe sea floor. For example, the seabed support system may includemultiple modular systems, such as a coiled tubing spool system, blowoutpreventers (BOP), power generation systems, managed pressure drillingsystems, continuous casing systems, water treatment systems, separationsystems, drone/robot garages, material storage systems, pump systems,control systems, communication systems, laser system, etc. These modularsystems may be supported on one or more platforms or skids on the seafloor. In some embodiments, the seabed support system may includemultiple platforms that support one or more wells. These platforms maycouple together with tracks and/or other infrastructure (e.g., pipes)enabling materials and equipment to be shared during hydrocarbonextraction operations on multiple wells. In other words, the seabedsupport system with its variety of modular systems may form a kind ofunmanned subsea village capable of supporting all drilling, production,and shutdown operations associated with one or more wells.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a subsea hydrocarbonextraction system 10 that may support unconventional well boring andproduction operations. For example, the subsea hydrocarbon extractionsystem 10 may support all operations associated with hydrocarbonextraction from a hydrocarbon reservoir (e.g., drilling, production,shutdown, etc.). In order to drill the well, the subsea hydrocarbonextraction system 10 includes a well boring apparatus 12 capable ofdrilling a well without a drill string and drill riser(s). In this way,the well boring apparatus 12 eliminates the time involved in assemblinga drill string to drill deeper or disassembling a drill string toretrieve or change a drill bit. Moreover, in deep water drilling only 5%to 10% of surface energy may reach the drill bit. Accordingly, a largeportion of the power of conventional rig top drives is wasted inovercoming large frictional losses along the drill string. Accordingly,the well boring apparatus 12 may therefore use less power to drill thesame well due to the absence of frictional losses. Furthermore, the wellboring apparatus 12 may enable drilling of a constant diameter well,thus avoiding traditional drilling of an initial large borehole, whichis then incrementally decreased to an ever-smaller borehole as depthincreases.

The well boring apparatus 12 may be self-propelled, steerable, andlaunchable from a topside vessel or directly from a seabed supportsystem 14. In some embodiments, the well boring apparatus 12 may becapable of drilling multiple tracks (e.g., wells) from a centralborehole. The well boring apparatus 12 may be modular such that it canbe configured and then reconfigured for different tasks (e.g., supportspecific down hole activities). For example, the well boring apparatus12 may include one or more modules 16 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more)such as a cutting/boring module (e.g., a cutter or a grinder), amotor/power module (e.g., a motor and/or a power source), a thrustmodule (e.g., movable arms configured to engage the wellbore and/or topropel the well boring apparatus), a pump module (e.g., a pump), acutting processing module (e.g., a container configured to receivecuttings and/or a grinder configured to grind the cuttings), a chemicalmodule (e.g., a container configured to receive and/or to storechemicals, supply chemicals, and/or process chemicals), a casingproduction module (e.g., pre-cast casing, a frame configured to supportprecast casing, a container configured to receive and/or to facilitatemixing of cuttings and/or chemicals to form a casing, and/or a frameconfigured to facilitate deposition of the casing within the wellboreand/or to support formation of casing between the frame and a wall ofthe wellbore), a laser module (e.g., a laser), a microwave module (e.g.,a microwave), a sensor module (e.g., a temperature, pressure, torque,force, depth, angle, speed (rotational and travel), inclination,accelerometer, location, flow rate, gamma ray, nuclear, acoustic, and/orelectromagnetic sensor, among others), a plug module (e.g., a plug), agas handling module (e.g., a container or lines to receive and directgas), etc.

The cutting/boring module 16 may include a cutting wheel, one or moredrill bits 18, and/or a hammer/vibrator capable of cutting and breakingthrough rock formations. In some embodiments, the subsea hydrocarbonextraction system 10 may include multiple cutting/boring modules 16 eachspecialized in cutting through different kinds of rock and sedimentlayers. Accordingly, during drilling operations, the well boringapparatus 12 may be periodically withdrawn in order to exchange onecutting/boring module 16 for another. For example, a cutting/boringmodule 16 with a drill bit and/or cutting wheel may be substituted for alaser module 16 capable of cutting through rock formations.

In order to drive the boring module 16, the well boring apparatus 12includes a motor or power module 16 that provides power to drive theboring module 16. The motor or power module may include solid oxide andsolid acid fuel cells; energetic materials (e.g., Hydrazine,propellant); aqua batteries (e.g., Lithium-seawater); direct electricalsupply from the seabed support system 14 (e.g., through coiled tubing 20or another connection); direct electrical supply from a rig and/or aship; indirect electrical supply from a rig, a ship, and/or remotelyoperated vehicle; and/or hydraulic fluid.

As the cutting/boring module 16 cuts through the rock formation, one ormore thrust modules 16 may propel the well boring apparatus 12 furtherinto the well 22. For example, the thrust module 16 may include gripperarms/shoes, tracks, etc. that engage the wall 24 of the well 22 andpropel the boring apparatus in axial direction 26. In some embodiments,the well boring apparatus 12 may be propelled by the coiled tubing 20,as the coiled tubing system 28 rotates in circumferential direction 30.In another embodiment, the well boring apparatus 12 may be propelledthrough a combination of force from the coiled tubing 20 and from thethrust module 16. The coiled tubing 20 may also be used to retrieve thewell boring apparatus 12 from the hole as the coiled tubing system 28rotates in circumferential direction 32. As illustrated, the coiledtubing system 28 may be part of a seabed support system 14, but may alsobe located at a surface location. The well boring apparatus 12 may alsobe recovered using a winch and a recovery line on the seabed supportsystem 14 or a surface location (e.g., ship, rig). In some embodiments,the coiled tubing system 28 may assist in providing chemicals used toprovide a temporary seal in fluid loss zones as the cutting/boringmodule 16 cuts through the rock formation. The coiled tubing system 28may include coiled tubing 20 that is either monochambered for thedeployment of fluid to the cutting surface or could be multi-chamberedfor the deployment of chemicals that upon mixing could be used as atemporary sealant in fluid loss zones.

As the cutting/boring module 16 drills the well 22, a pump module 16 maypump seawater and/or mud to removing the cuttings. The pump module 16may receive seawater and/or mud through the coiled tubing 20 and/or aseparate tubing attachment. In some embodiments, the well boringapparatus 12 may include a grinding module 16 that grinds the cuttingsto facilitate transport to the seabed support system 14 and/or forproduction of a casing surrounding the well 22. For example, the wellboring apparatus 12 may include a casing production module 16 thatproduces a casing/lining using the ground cutting paste produced by thegrinding module 16, and chemicals (e.g., pre-polymers and photoinitiators such as acrylate and methacrylate monomers) stored in astorage container of a chemical module 16. The casing may then be curedwith a curing module (e.g., microwave component, ultraviolet lightcomponent, etc.). However, in some embodiments, the casing/liningproduction module may grind the cuttings, combine the cuttings withchemicals into a casing/lining, and then cure the casing/lining; insteadof using separate modules. In some embodiments, the casing productionmodule(s) 16 may include a material ready to produce the casing (e.g.,cement) and/or receive it from an external source (e.g., from the seabedsupport system 14 through the tubing spool 20). In some embodiments, thecasing production module 16 may include preformed casing/lining sectionsthat are installed as the well boring apparatus 12 progresses towardsthe hydrocarbon reservoir.

Once the well boring apparatus 12 reaches the hydrocarbon reservoir, thewell boring apparatus 12 may enable oil and/or natural gas production bycutting through the casing with a laser module 16. In anotherembodiment, the well boring apparatus 12 may include a water jet-cuttingmodule 16 that is likewise able to cut through the casing/lining tobegin production. The laser module 16 and/or water jet module may alsoprepare the casing (e.g., cut the casing) for hydraulic fracturing. Forexample, in a hydraulic fracturing situation, the well boring apparatus12 may cut through the casing with either a laser module 16 or a waterjet-cutting module 16 (e.g., a waterjet cutter). Once cut, the wellboring apparatus 12 may use a plug module 16 to plug the well 22 beforefrac fluid is pumped into the well 22 during hydraulic fracturingoperations.

As discussed above, the well boring apparatus 12 may include one or morechemical modules 16 that store chemicals to form the casing. In someembodiments, the chemical module(s) 16 may store additional chemicals tofacilitate drilling and production operations. For example, the chemicalmodules 16 may store chemicals that inhibit hydrate formation andchemicals that enable hydrocarbon production by dissolving methanehydrates (e.g., release the gas in methane hydrates by the use ofexothermic reactions) as the well boring apparatus 12 drills. Themodules 16 may also store chemicals such as acids, hydrate inhibitors,scale inhibitors, biocides, thermite, eutectic materials (e.g., bismuthalloys that can be used as temporary or permanent sealants), amongothers. These chemicals may also be pumped from the subsea supportsystem 14 through coiled tubing 20 to replenish module(s) 16 on the wellboring apparatus 12 and/or directly into the well 22 through the wellboring apparatus 12.

The well boring apparatus 12 may also include other module(s) 16 toassist in drilling and production operations (e.g., melt methanehydrates, inhibit hydrate formation). For example, the well boringapparatus 12 may include a heating module (e.g., a heat source) thatinhibits hydrate formation and releases gas from methane hydrates. Insome embodiments, the well boring apparatus 12 may include an acousticenergy module (e.g., an acoustic energy source) that breaks up methanehydrates for production as well as inhibits formation of hydrates.Moreover, the well boring apparatus 12 may include a microwave modulethat releases gas from methane hydrates and inhibits hydrate formationin the well 22.

In order to steer and measure properties in the well 22, the well boringapparatus 12 may include a sensor and/or control module 16 with one ormore sensors. For example, the sensor module 16 may include atemperature, pressure, torque, force, depth, angle, speed (rotationaland travel), inclination, accelerometer, location, flow rate, gamma ray,nuclear, acoustic, and electromagnetic sensors among others. The sensorand/or control module 16 may also include navigation tools such as aninertial navigation system that guides the well boring apparatus 12. Thesensors also may enable the well boring apparatus 12 to analyzeproperties of the surrounding environment such as temperature, pressure,acidity, and for the presence of particular chemicals, as well as steerthe well boring apparatus 12. Accordingly, the direction of the wellbore may be changed at any time during the drilling process. In someembodiments, the steering control signals may be provided from a surfacelocation, the seabed support system 14, and/or a preloaded missionpackage. In some embodiments, the direction of drilling can bemanipulated by changing characteristics of the cutting wheel or bits 18that contact the formation (e.g., changing the location, number, or typeof teeth, the angle of the cutting wheel relative the formation, theportions of the cutting wheel in contact with the formation, etc.). Insome embodiments, the thrust module 16 may be used to control thedirection of travel, or a combination of the thrust module 16 and thecutting wheel or bit(s) 18.

In order to launch, recover, and selectively change the modules 16, thesubsea hydrocarbon extraction system 10 may include a launch andrecovery frame 34 that aligns the well boring apparatus 12 for insertioninto the well 22 through the wellhead 36. In some embodiments, the frame34 may couple to the well boring apparatus 12 to enable a drone or robot38 to change the configuration of the well boring apparatus 12 (e.g.,selectively coupling and uncoupling modules 16 from the well boringapparatus 12). As illustrated, the wellhead 36 may couple to amulti-port wellhead connection 39 that includes multiple conduits 40that enable insertion of the well boring apparatus 12, insertion ofadditional tools into the well 22, as well as fluid processing of fluid(e.g., drilling mud, water, hydrocarbons, etc.) coming out of the well22. For example, the wellhead 36 may include a main conduit 42 thatenables insertion of the well boring apparatus 12 into the wellhead 36.Coupled to the main conduit 42 are second and third conduits 44 and 46.The second and third conduits 44, 46 may enable insertion of additionaltools following insertion of the well boring apparatus 12, as well asfluid processing. For example, the secondary conduit 44 may direct fluidto a production tree as it flows out of the well 22, while the thirdconduit 46 may enable tool insertion and/or chemical injection. Tocontrol fluid flow out of the multi-port wellhead connection 39, themulti-port wellhead connection 39 may couple to various blowoutpreventers 48 that control access to the well 22.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a subsea hydrocarbonextraction system 10 with a seabed support system 14 that supportsoperation of the well boring apparatus 12. In some embodiments, theseabed support system 14 may include modular equipment and/or systems 58supported by one or more platforms or skids 60. As illustrated, theplatforms 60 may include a leveling system 62 legs or jacks that liftthe platform 60 off a sea floor 64. For example, the legs or jacks maybe raised or lowered in order to level the platforms or skids 60 on anuneven sea floor 64. The subsea modular systems 58 may include thecoiled tubing system 28, blowout preventers (BOP) 48, power generationsystem(s) 66, water treatment system(s) 68, separator system(s) 70,drone/robot garage(s) 72, material storage system(s) 74, pump system(s)76, mixing system(s) 78, control system(s) 80, communication system(s)81, high power laser (power source, generator, fiber and lasing head),fishing and remedial equipment etc. In other words, the seabed supportsystem 14 may include all of the equipment and systems to support thewell boring apparatus 12 and the production of hydrocarbons from ahydrocarbon reservoir. Moreover, because the systems 58 may be modular,the modular systems 58 facilitate installation, retrieval, and exchange.In other words, the systems 58 may be seamlessly swapped out.

The modular systems 58 may be installed and retrieved directly bylowering and retrieving the platform 60 and/or with the use of aremotely operated vehicle or an autonomous underwater vehicle. Moreover,the seabed support system 14 may be deployed from a construction vesselrather than a conventional drilling unit. For example, the platform 60and/or modular systems 58 may be secured using ball and taper units thatallow for quick-release disconnection by remotely operated vehicle aswell as retrieval for maintenance and/or replacement.

In order to power the seabed support system 14 and/or the well boringapparatus 12, the power generation system 66 may generate and/or storepower. The power generation system 66 may produce power in various waysincluding subsea turbines (e.g., water/hydro turbines), nuclear, fuelcells, energetic materials (such as hydrazine, propellants), and/orthermal conversion. The power generation system 66 may also store powerproduced on the surface (e.g., wind power system, wave power system,rig, ship, etc.) using batteries and/or provide a connection forexternal power to flow to the subsea hydrocarbon extraction system 10.For example, the power generation system 66 may electrically couple to aship 82 that produces power (e.g., power generation ship). The ship 82then transfers power to the subsea hydrocarbon extraction system 10through power line(s) 84 (e.g., umbilical lines). In some embodiments,the power generation system 66 may couple to subsea cables that carrypower from a shore facility. As the power generation system 66 receivespower, it distributes the power throughout the subsea support system 14and/or stores the power in batteries for later use (e.g., during astorm).

As the well boring apparatus 12 drills the well 22, pump systems 72 maypump water, chemicals, and/or drilling mud into the well 22 to removecuttings (e.g., rock, sand, etc.), to hydraulically fracture the well,or otherwise facilitate drilling operations. Moreover, as the wellboring apparatus 12 drills, the water, drilling mud, chemicals, etc. maymix with natural gas and/or oil. However, instead of processing thecuttings, water, chemicals, drilling mud, etc. at the surface, thesubsea hydrocarbon extraction system 10 may process these materials atthe seabed with the seabed support system 14, thereby removing the needfor a drilling riser. In order to process the fluids exiting the well22, the seabed support system 14 may include a separator system 70 thatseparates oil and/or natural gas from the water, chemicals, and/or mudexiting the well 22. The oil and/or natural gas may then be pumpedthrough pipelines 86 to the surface or along the sea floor to the shorefor further processing and refining. After separating the water, gas,and oil in the separator system 70, the seabed support system 14 mayalso treat the water in a water treatment system 68 for reuse in thewell 22 or for release into the surrounding environment (e.g.,desalination, disinfection, etc.).

Similarly, instead of pumping drilling mud, frac fluid, etc., from thesurface the seabed system 14 may include material storage systems 74with storage tanks, racks, etc. These storage systems 74 may store avariety of materials such as water, chemicals, proppant, cement, fishingheads (e.g., for retrieving stuck pipes or equipment), pipes, thermite(e.g., to form temporary or permanent zonal seals in the well 22 as wellas wellhead isolation), bismuth alloy, etc. for use by the hydrocarbonextraction system 10. The tanks may in turn couple to mixer systems 78that combine water, chemicals, proppant, cement, etc. that is thenpumped into the well 22 using pumps 76 (e.g., drilling mud pumps, fracpumps, etc.). The mixer systems 78 may also combine chemicals, water,etc. for use in the modules 16 of the well boring apparatus 12.

As explained above, the well boring apparatus 12 may include one or moremodules 16 that facilitate drilling of the well 22. These modules 16enable the well boring apparatus 12 to be reconfigured to performdifferent activities. In order to exchange and/or change out the modules16, the seabed support system 14 may include drones/robots 38 that movemodules 16 around the platform 60 as well as change the configuration ofthe well boring apparatus 12. The drones/robots may also manipulateother equipment and systems 58. For example, the drones/robots 38 mayperform repairs on the seabed support system 14, replace equipment orsystems 58, lay pipes, lift pre-formed casing into the well 22, etc.When the drones/robots 38 are not in use or when the robots/drones 38need maintenance (e.g., battery charging, refueling) the drones/robots38 may be relocated to a drone/robot garage(s) 72 that rechargesbatteries, downloads data, uploads missions, etc.

The seabed support system 14 may also include control and communicationsystem modules 80, 81 that control operation of the seabed supportsystems 58, well boring apparatus 12, and drones/robots 38. For example,the control system modules 80 (e.g., a control system having anelectronic controller, processor, and memory) may be in signalcommunication (fluid, optical, electrical, wireless, acoustic, radio,inductive, and/or magnetic) with one or more modular systems 58 (e.g.,sensors and/or controllers coupled to the modular systems 58), wellboring apparatus 12, and one or more drones/robots 38. In someembodiments, the control system module 80 may also receive feedback fromvideo cameras (e.g., visual, infrared, thermal) positioned around thesubsea support system 14. In this way, the control system module 80enables monitoring and control of hydrocarbon extraction operations(e.g., drilling, production, and well abandonment operations). Forexample, the control system module 80 may control permanent or zonalsealing of the well 22 during drilling as well as wellhead isolationonce production is complete. The control system module 80 may use thewell boring apparatus 12 and modules 16 (e.g., chemical modules 16 withthermite, and/or bismuth alloys) to form the seals. In some embodiments,the control system module 80 may control other equipment (e.g., cranes)on the subsea support system 14 to deploy thermite, explosives, bismuthalloys, etc. to form temporary or permanent seals (e.g., zonal seals) inthe well 22. Moreover, the control system module 80 may communicate withremote operators (e.g., shore, rig, ship, etc.) by providing video feed,sensor data, etc. Thereby, enabling operators to monitor and controloperation of the subsea hydrocarbon extraction system 10 remotely.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a subsea hydrocarbonextraction system 10 with a well boring apparatus 12 and a seabedsupport system 14. As illustrated, the seabed support system 14 mayinclude multiple platforms or skids 60 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more)that support one or more modular systems 58. These platforms 60 maycouple together with tracks 110 (e.g., rails). The tracks 110 maysupport pipes and other infrastructure as well as enable drones 38 totravel back and forth between platforms 60 carrying supplies, repairingequipment, replacing equipment, carrying modules 16 or 58, etc. As thedrilling operations progress, some of the modular systems 58 may nolonger be needed. Accordingly, the modularity of the seabed supportsystem 14 may enable some of the platforms 60 and/or modular systems 58to be removed from the hydrocarbon extraction system 10 for use at adifferent location. As illustrated, the subsea hydrocarbon extractionsystem 10 may also include hydrophones and/or geophones 112 or othersensing equipment used in analyzing the hydrocarbon formation,rock/sediment layers, etc. (e.g., produce 4D imaging). In someembodiments, the seabed support system 14 may additionally oralternatively include a conveying system (e.g., roller ball conveyingsystem) to facilitate movement of the modules 16 about the platform 60.For example, roller balls may protrude from a transport surface (e.g., asurface of tracks 110 or other structure that contacts modules 16 orother equipment for use in the seabed support system 14), and controlledrotation of the roller balls may drive or cause movement of the modules16 along the platforms 60, along tracks 110 or other pathways of theseabed support system 14, or the like.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a subsea hydrocarbonextraction system 10 with a well boring apparatus 12 and a seabedsupport system 14. As illustrated, the seabed support system 14 mayinclude multiple platforms or skids 60 (e.g., 1, 5, 10, or more) andtracks 110 in a hub and spoke layout that surrounds a central well 22.It should be understood that the platforms 60 may have any number ofgeometries suitable for drilling operations and that accommodate the seafloor terrain. As explained above, each of these platforms 60 maysupport a variety of modular systems 58 of the seabed support system 14.Coupling the platforms 60 are tracks 110 that support drone/robotmovement as well as infrastructure (e.g., pipes). Moreover, and asillustrated, the seabed support system 14 may support multiple wells 22with the tracks 110 connecting each of these wells 22 together.Accordingly, one seabed support system 14 may support multiple wells 22with some or all of the same modular systems 58.

While the invention may be susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way ofexample in the drawings and have been described in detail herein.However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended tobe limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention isto cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling withinthe spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the followingappended claims.

1. A system, comprising: a hydrocarbon extraction system, comprising: awell boring apparatus configured to drill through a subterraneanformation without rotation of a drill string; and a seabed supportsystem configured to support drilling operations of the well boringapparatus.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the well boring apparatuscomprises one or more interchangeable modules that facilitate drilling awell.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the seabed support systemcomprises one or more modular systems.
 4. The system of claim 1, whereinthe seabed support system comprises one or more drones or robots.
 5. Thesystem of claim 3, wherein the one or more modular systems comprises acoiled tubing system configured to couple to the well boring apparatus.6. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more modular systemscomprises a blowout preventer.
 7. The system of claim 3, wherein the oneor more modular systems comprises a power generation system.
 8. Thesystem of claim 3, wherein the one or more modular systems comprises aseparator system.
 9. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or moremodular systems comprises a material storage system.
 10. The system ofclaim 3, wherein the one or more modular systems comprises a controlsystem configured to control the one or more modular systems.
 11. Thesystem of claim 3, wherein the one or more modular systems comprises adrone garage.
 12. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more modularsystems are supported on one or more subsea platforms.
 13. The system ofclaim 12, wherein the subsea support system comprises a plurality ofplatforms mechanically coupled together.
 14. A system, comprising: ahydrocarbon extraction system, comprising: a seabed support system,comprising: one or more modular systems configured to support drillingoperations of a well boring apparatus.
 15. The system of claim 14,wherein the seabed support system comprises one or more platformsconfigured to support the one or more modular systems.
 16. The system ofclaim 14, wherein the seabed support system comprises a plurality ofplatforms configured to support the one or more module systems.
 17. Thesystem of claim 16, wherein the plurality of platforms are mechanicallycoupled together.
 18. A system, comprising: a hydrocarbon extractionsystem, comprising: a well boring apparatus configured to drill througha subterranean formation without rotation of a drill string; and aseabed support system, comprising: one or more modular systemsconfigured to support drilling operations of the well boring apparatus;and one or more platforms configured to support the one or more modularsystems.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more modularsystems comprise at least one of a coiled tubing system, a blowoutpreventer, a power generation system, a water treatment system, aseparator system, a drone/robot garage, a material storage system, apump system, a mixing system, a control system, or a communicationsystem.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the well boring apparatuscomprises one or more interchangeable modules that facilitate drilling awell.